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This entire thread has been such a lifesaver for understanding EBT card issues! As someone who just started receiving CalFresh benefits last month, I had no idea how many different things could cause your card to suddenly stop working. The fact that shopping at two different stores can trigger a fraud alert is honestly terrifying - that's exactly what I do every week to find the best deals and stretch my benefits further. Dominic, I'm so glad you got your card reactivated the same day! Your experience and everyone's advice here has taught me so much about how to handle this if it ever happens to me. I'm definitely going to keep this thread bookmarked. One question for the more experienced folks here - is there any way to prevent the "suspicious activity" flags from happening? Like, should I call ahead if I'm planning to shop at multiple stores in one day, or is there a way to notify them about unusual shopping patterns? I travel for work sometimes and worry about using my card in different cities triggering the same kind of flag. Thanks again to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences. This community is incredible for helping families navigate these complex systems! 💚
Great question, Nia! I've been on CalFresh for about 2 years now and learned some things about avoiding those fraud flags. Unfortunately, there's no way to call ahead and notify them about unusual shopping patterns - the system is automated and doesn't have that feature. However, here are some things I've found that help reduce the chances of triggering alerts: - Try to space out shopping trips by at least a few hours if you need to go to multiple stores - Avoid making large purchases ($100+) at multiple locations on the same day - If you're traveling, using your card in a neighboring city/county usually doesn't trigger flags, but crossing state lines often does The system seems to flag "rapid transactions at multiple locations" more than just shopping at different stores. So if you do need to hit multiple stores for deals, maybe do your main grocery run one day and pick up specific sale items another day? It's frustrating that we have to think about this stuff just to buy food, but at least knowing what might trigger the system helps us plan around it. Hope this helps! And welcome to CalFresh - this community has been invaluable for navigating all the quirks of the system.
That's such a smart question, Nia! I've been dealing with CalFresh for about 3 years and wish I had known about these potential fraud triggers earlier. Caleb gave excellent advice about spacing out shopping trips. One additional thing I've learned - if you do get flagged while traveling for work, it helps to have documentation ready like hotel receipts or work travel authorization. I got flagged once when I had to buy groceries during a work trip to Sacramento, and having my hotel receipt made it much easier to explain to the customer service rep that it was legitimate travel, not fraud. Also, I've found that sticking to major grocery store chains when traveling seems less likely to trigger flags than using your card at smaller independent stores or gas stations in unfamiliar areas. The system seems to recognize the big chain stores as "normal" even if you're in a different location. It really is frustrating that we have to think strategically about something as basic as buying food, but knowledge is power! This thread has been such a great resource for understanding how the system actually works behind the scenes.
This entire discussion has been incredibly eye-opening and helpful! As someone who's been on CalFresh for about 6 months, I had no idea there were so many potential pitfalls that could suddenly cut off access to benefits. Reading through everyone's experiences, I'm realizing how vulnerable we all are to these automated fraud detection systems that seem overly sensitive. The fact that normal shopping behavior - like going to two stores in one day to find better deals or because your usual store is out of stock - can trigger a complete card deactivation is really concerning. Dominic, I'm so relieved you got your issue resolved the same day! This thread should honestly be turned into a guide for anyone dealing with EBT card problems. The collective knowledge here from people like Hannah, Victoria, Jibriel, and others who shared their professional insights and personal experiences is invaluable. I'm definitely bookmarking this conversation and sharing it with other families I know who receive CalFresh benefits. The tips about going early to county offices, asking specifically for "Card on Demand" services, and having all documentation ready could save someone's family from going hungry while waiting for help. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their knowledge and support each other. This is exactly what community support should look like! 🙏
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I'm so sorry you had to deal with this stress this morning! I've been dealing with these exact same Bank of America EBT ATM issues for months now and it's incredibly frustrating. The "technical problems" message seems to pop up most often during their system maintenance hours, which unfortunately can extend well past 6 AM sometimes. A few things that have saved me from this headache: - Try using the ATM locator in the EBT Edge mobile app - it sometimes shows which ATMs are having issues (though not always in real time) - 7-Eleven stores usually do cash back for around $1.50 fee, which is way cheaper than most ATM fees - If you're desperate, some 24-hour gas stations like Shell have ATMs that work when the BoA ones don't (expect $2-3 fee though) I've also started keeping a small emergency cash fund at home specifically because of these system failures - it's not ideal having to tie up money that way, but it's saved me multiple times when I needed cash urgently and the ATMs were down. It's honestly ridiculous that we have to work around their broken system just to access our own benefits. Hoping California really does switch EBT providers in 2026 like some people mentioned - this current system is way too unreliable!
Thank you so much for these practical tips! I had no idea about the EBT Edge app having an ATM locator feature - that could have saved me from driving to three different broken ATMs this morning. The 7-Eleven cash back option sounds perfect since there's one right by my work, and $1.50 is definitely better than the $3+ fees most ATMs charge. Your point about keeping an emergency cash fund is really smart too - I never thought about it that way, but you're right that it would eliminate the panic when the system goes down. It's just so frustrating that we have to plan our finances around their technical failures! Really hoping they do switch providers in 2026 because this current system is way too unreliable for people who depend on these benefits.
I just went through this exact same nightmare last week! Tried to get cash at 5:30 AM from a Bank of America ATM for an early morning appointment and got that dreaded "technical problems" message. After reading through all these comments, I'm kicking myself for not knowing about the cash back options at stores like CVS and Walgreens - would have saved me so much stress and wasted time driving around to multiple broken ATMs. What really helped me was calling the EBT customer service line (1-877-328-9677) and having them confirm my balance was fine, just like you did. At least that ruled out account issues. I ended up waiting until about 10 AM and the ATM worked fine then. For anyone else dealing with this - I've started setting a phone reminder to never try withdrawing EBT cash before 9 AM, especially on benefit deposit days (1st-3rd of the month). It's ridiculous that we have to work around their system maintenance schedule just to access our own money, but at least we can help each other avoid the frustration! Definitely keeping this thread bookmarked for all the amazing workarounds everyone shared. This community is a lifesaver when dealing with these system failures.
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This thread is exactly what I needed to see! I'm about 3 weeks into my CalFresh application and have been checking my mailbox obsessively waiting for some kind of update. The lack of communication from the county office has been so frustrating - they basically just said "wait 30 days" with no explanation of what that process would look like. Reading everyone's experiences here, especially @Chloe Green's full journey from confusion to resolution, has been incredibly reassuring. I had no idea that getting an EBT card before approval was even possible, let alone normal! It's honestly ridiculous that county workers aren't trained to explain this basic part of the process. But I'm so grateful for this community where people actually share what really happens. Now I know not to panic if I get a card with no money on it - and to just keep checking the app patiently. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their timelines and experiences. I'll definitely come back with an update once I get through the process!
This thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm in a very similar situation - applied about 2.5 weeks ago and have been anxiously waiting for any kind of update. Like you, all I got from the county office was "wait 30 days" with zero explanation of what to expect during that time. Reading through @Chloe Green s'experience and everyone else s'timelines has completely changed my perspective on the process. I was starting to think something was wrong since I haven t'heard anything, but now I understand that no news might actually be good news at this stage. The fact that getting an EBT card early is normal and (even a positive sign is) something I never would have known without this community. It s'really disappointing that such a basic part of the process isn t'explained by county workers, but I m'grateful we have each other to share these real experiences. Definitely keeping my fingers crossed that we both get our cards soon! Thanks for adding your voice to this thread - it helps knowing others are going through the exact same waiting game.
This entire thread has been so eye-opening! I'm just starting my CalFresh application process (literally filling out the paperwork tonight) and stumbled across this while doing research. Had no clue about the early EBT card delivery system - that would have completely freaked me out if it happened without warning! It's really unfortunate that something this standard isn't properly explained by county workers. You'd think they'd have some kind of script or handout to give people about what to expect. Reading through everyone's timelines and @Chloe Green's happy ending gives me so much confidence going into this process. This community is incredible - getting real experiences and practical advice that you just can't find on official websites. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories, especially those who came back with updates. I'll definitely bookmark this thread and plan to share my own experience once I get through it all!
Welcome to the community and good luck with your application! You're so smart to do research beforehand - I wish I had found this thread before going through the process myself. The early EBT card thing really is something they should warn people about upfront, but at least now you'll know it's normal if it happens to you. This community has been such a great resource for navigating these confusing government systems. The real experiences people share here are so much more valuable than the vague information on official sites. Hope your application goes smoothly, and definitely come back to share how it goes - those updates really help future applicants like @Chloe Green s'story helped all of us!
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I'm so glad I found this thread! I just got a $890 deposit yesterday and was completely panicked thinking it was a mistake. My regular benefit is usually $280, so this was way more than I expected. After reading everyone's explanations about the COLA adjustment, I checked my BenefitsCal account and sure enough, it shows as a "Cost of Living Adjustment" payment. What a relief! I was literally afraid to buy groceries because I thought they'd want it back. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is so helpful for navigating all the confusing aspects of the benefits system!
I'm so relieved this thread exists too! I just joined this community because I was having the exact same panic when I saw an unexpected $650 on my card this morning. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly helpful. It's amazing how many of us were worried it was a mistake when it's actually something we're entitled to! This is exactly why communities like this are so valuable - the official notices and communication from the county offices are often unclear or nonexistent. Thank you to everyone who took the time to explain the COLA situation, especially Paolo and Oliver for breaking it down so clearly!
This is such a helpful thread! I'm a newer CalFresh recipient (got approved in February) and was wondering if anyone knows how they calculate the retroactive amount? Like is it based on your current benefit amount or what you were getting each month? My benefit actually went up in April when I reported a job loss, so I'm curious if the COLA adjustment would be applied to my old amount or new amount for those earlier months. Also wondering if there's anywhere official we can check to see exactly how much the COLA increase should be for our specific benefit level?
Great question! The COLA adjustment is applied to whatever your benefit amount was for each specific month, so if your benefit increased in April due to your job loss, the retroactive calculation would use your February and March amounts for those months, then your higher April amount for April. The 6.8% increase is applied to each month's actual benefit level. As for checking the exact calculation, you should be able to see the breakdown in your BenefitsCal account under transaction history - it usually shows each month's adjustment separately. You can also call your county office and they can walk you through exactly how they calculated your specific retroactive amount!
Carmen Ortiz
I'm having the exact same problem! Been trying to log into BenefitsCal since Thursday and keep getting either error messages or the site just freezes completely. My recertification is due next week and I was starting to panic until I saw this thread. Thank you everyone for sharing all these helpful solutions! I'm going to try the mobile app first thing tomorrow morning around 5:30am based on what several people have said about early hours working better. I also didn't know about being able to email documents directly to the county or request a telephonic signature - those are great backup options to know about. It's such a relief to hear about the automatic 10-day extension too! I've been screenshotting all my error messages but will make sure to add timestamps like people suggested. Really appreciate this community for sharing experiences and solutions - makes me feel so much less alone in dealing with this frustrating situation!
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Oliver Schulz
•I'm so glad you found this thread helpful too! It's been amazing to see how everyone has come together to share solutions and support each other through this frustrating situation. The early morning login strategy really does seem to be the most reliable workaround - I tried it myself at 5:45am yesterday and was able to get into the mobile app, though it was still pretty slow. Having those backup options like the telephonic signature and email submission really helps reduce the stress too. One small tip I discovered: if you're using the mobile app, try force-closing it completely and restarting your phone before attempting to log in during those early morning hours - it seemed to help with the loading issues I was having. You're definitely not alone in this, and with the extension plus all these great strategies from everyone, we'll all get through our recertifications! Keep us posted on how the early morning attempt goes!
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Lucas Adams
I just wanted to jump in here as someone who went through this exact same nightmare last month! The BenefitsCal login issues are so frustrating and stressful when you're up against a deadline. Reading through all these responses, it looks like everyone has shared some really solid advice. I had success with the early morning approach too - logged in around 5am and was able to complete everything through the mobile app. One thing I didn't see mentioned yet is that if you have two-factor authentication set up on your BenefitsCal account, try temporarily disabling it and then re-enabling it after you get logged in. Sometimes the authentication texts get delayed or don't come through at all when the system is overloaded, which can make it seem like your password is wrong when it's actually just the 2FA timing out. Also, if you're still having trouble after trying all these great suggestions, your local food bank or community resource center might be able to help you access their computers or even assist with the submission process. Many of them are familiar with BenefitsCal issues and have helped other clients get through similar situations. Hang in there - with the 10-day extension and all these workarounds, you'll definitely get your recertification submitted!
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Sophia Clark
•That's a really good point about the two-factor authentication! I have that set up and didn't even think about it potentially causing issues during system overload. I've been getting some delayed text messages from other services lately too, so that could definitely be part of the problem. The food bank/community resource center suggestion is brilliant - I never would have thought of that but it makes total sense that they'd be familiar with these kinds of issues and have resources to help. It's so reassuring to hear from someone who successfully got through this same situation last month. With all these strategies and the extension, I'm feeling much more confident about getting my recertification done. Thanks for adding another helpful perspective to this thread!
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